ISIS raid in Afghanistan kills 17 soldiers

Heavy fighting follows overnight attack on security outpost

An Afghan National Army soldier keeps watch at a checkpost in Logar province, in February 2016. Thursday night's raid in Nangarhar sparked heavy fighting for several hours, according to one official. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)

Hazrat said ISIS fighters attacked army security posts from three directions and after several hours of heavy fighting, 17 army soldiers were dead.

General Doulat Waziri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, said soldiers killed 21 ISIS fighters.

Also on Friday, an Afghan provincial official said Taliban forces stormed several Afghan security posts in eastern Kunar province, killing five police officers.

Provincial Gov. Waheedullah Kalimzai said the daring attacks lasted nearly two hours and were apparently co-ordinated but police, aided by other security officials, managed to repel the attackers and drove the insurgents from the area.

Kalimzai said another police officer is missing after the attack. He said Taliban fighters used heavy machine-guns and explosive devices in the assault. Kalimzai added that the Afghan police killed several Taliban fighters.